Israeli bid for security deal with Syria failed on buffer zone dispute: Report

An Israeli attempt to reach a security agreement with Syria has failed amid disagreements about the buffer zone, Israeli media reported Wednesday, citing a senior diplomatic official.

“We tried to reach a security agreement. In the end, it did not succeed,” the official told The Jerusalem Post.

Israel rejected any arrangement requiring it to withdraw from the buffer zone, which he described as a “security asset,” according to the official.

“We did not think that, as part of a security arrangement or security agreement, we should withdraw from the buffer zone,” he said.

The official also claimed that Syria became less interested in advancing an agreement after some sanctions on the country were eased.

Despite the failed attempt, communication channels between Israel and Damascus remain active, he said.

He declined to provide details of the discussions, saying Israel was seeking to preserve what it considers its security interests through the talks.

A Syrian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani held a meeting Aug. 23 in Jordan with an Israeli delegation, under US mediation, as part of efforts to reduce escalation, Syria’s SANA news agency reported, citing a diplomatic source at the Foreign Ministry.

The source said discussions focused on practical mechanisms to halt Israeli attacks and revive negotiations toward a security agreement that could form the basis for a broader future deal.

On July 26, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said his country was working with several countries to reach a security agreement with Israel, and that if the deal succeeds, it could pave the way for comprehensive peace without Syria giving up its right to the occupied Golan Heights.

Israel has occupied most of the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967. After the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in late 2024, Israel declared the 1974 disengagement agreement finished, and occupied the Syrian buffer zone and other sites, including the Syrian side of Mount Hermon (Jabal al-Sheikh).